Thursday, July 3, 2014

Throwback Thursday - My (January 2011) Fixes for Warhammer 8.1

Early in 2011, six months into this edition I highlighted my five fixes for Warhammer 8th Edition.

These were:

Revise Monsters & Handlers rules

Stop Reform Shenanigans

Limit the use of Power Dice to maximum of 12 per turn

Limit the effect of Big Spells to a single wound on multiwound characters

Random Game Length

So looking at the lists, where have we got to?

Some work has been done on Monsters and Handlers but more needs to be done. The extra ward save mechanic for hellcannons is annoying and the passing of wounds to Skink handlers also seems unnecessary. Hydras at least have been sorted.

With reforms, again the rules need to be addressed still. Teleporting characters have been controlled by ETC by limiting their move to the minimum necessary to satisfy placement position rules. Most TOs sensibly follow that logic as well. . Reforming into buildings needs to be tidied up. I don't have a problem a unit reforming to enter a building except when they start more than a normal move away. Simple fix.

The Power Dice limit has pretty much become the default for tournament play. I'd like to see it officially adopted.

Limiting the effect of Big Spells on multiwound characters happens in some tournaments but is not an official rules mechanism. I'm more ambivalent these days as I think "deathstar" units should have some downsides - and nothing gives me more satisfaction than turning both a Slaan AND Tetto Eko into warm furry rats.

My number one has not been adopted. However I still reckon it would be great for the game. Not knowing at the end of Turn 4 whether you have 0, 1, 2 or three turns left would make for a great game. The best games - well the ones you hear recounted most - are Watchtower games where that mechanic is at play.

So have at it. Was my six month report way off the mark. Is it still relevant? What would you like to see fixed.

2 comments:

Random length would be interesting. It is one of the cool mechanics of 40k where you need to push t4 and rely on holding objectives for an undermined number of turns. Not sure how well it would translate to non-objective based games though (ie most of WHFB).

I like magic and spells straight out of the BRB...but I understand that limiting the extra dice helps stop Death magic becoming too overpowering.

Monsters and handlers is annoying, but not "game breaking" now that Hydras etc have changed. Hellcannon crew ward is stupid though (the one thing I would take it away from).

Swift Reform into buildings is not an issue for me...however I do believe that using it to enter the watch tower t1 is abusive. If that was the restriction (ie cannot use swift reform movement shenanigans to enter buildings. "Shenanigans" defined by an abusive/banned play doc similar to ETC's one) then that is a fair enough restriction.

My poor poor hellcannon... I still love you baby. I'd gladly trade the 'free save' for a real cannon shot though :P

I really like the addition of random game length as it keeps risk in the game right to the end. In non RGL games when you get to turn 5/6 you have certainty around some moves that have no downside to taking - which you could do normally in fear of retaliation in an earlier phase. Especially if your turn 6 is the last turn of the game.